1. New Bicycle Initiatives: S.A Premier Mr Jay Weatherill has released the Government’s response to a report from its recent Citizen’s Jury, tasked with addressing the challenge of road safety for all. The Premier said “we support the vast majority of the Jury’s recommendations…”. He signalled a range of new Government strategies including new cycling boulevards and Greenways, provisions allowing all cyclists to ride on the footpath and new laws to ensure motorists leave at least one metre when they overtake a cyclist. The Premier also said his Government “will allocate $250,000 in seed funding to a Greenways and Bicycle Boulevard program, which will include a focus on disappearing bike lanes and bicycle black spots” and “this program will be fully established and funded in the 2015/16 State Budget.” All details can be found here.2. Australia Day Family Picnic: The Rotary Club of Salisbury will host its sixth Australia Day Festival at Carisbrooke Reserve, Salisbury Park on Australia Day, Monday 26 January. The celebrations, which have attracted more than 3,000 people in the past, will start from 8.00am with the Rotary Club serving a free breakfast. There will be rides and entertainment as well as food vendors selling all types of food and plenty on offer for the children, including face painting, airbrush tattoos and $2 carnival rides. A free community bus will run hourly from the Salisbury Interchange and back. Details here.3. New S.A. Cycling Strategy? Not Quite… At the last session on the last day of the 2014 VeloCity conference in Adelaide, Minister for Transport Stephen Mullighan indicated his support for a new SA Cycling Strategy, saying ‘watch this space’.Well, we’ve been watching, but we haven’t seen much activity – yet. We know that some SA bicycle groups have been consulted and that the LGA has been invited to form a working group to respond to the new plan. That, unfortunately is about all we know! Prior to Christmas we wrote to the Minister seeking further clarification. In his recent response Minister Mullighan has now told us the Government “will be releasing a draft of a new cycling strategy for public consultation in the first half of 2015”. So – as the Minister says – “watch this space!”

New Lipson Street Railyard bikeway ramp and pathway.

4. Outer Harbour Greenway Update: Just after Christmas the PortBUG contacted Gemma Kernich, Acting Manager of DPTI’s Office of Cycling & Walking, after witnessing several instances of drivers using the newly renovated Railyards bikeway ramp to enter and leave the Aviation Museum precinct. Gemma has provided a brief informal update on progress with the Outer Harbour Greenway route, including the following:

Rosewater Railyard Ramps & Pathway: “When we’re finished in there it will be a lot more obvious that it’s a shared path (with an appropriate vehicle barrier, line marking and signage) as well as some separation between the two accesses off Lipson St.”

BUG member Dave Case tries out the new David Trc crossing. Photo: Bruce Steer.

David Terrace Crossing : Gemma tells us that “the David Tce/Kilkenny Road [bicycle crossing] signals are switched on, and the path to Alberton Station (Fussell Place to Station Place) is also ‘open’ (both not quite finished).”

Gemma indicated that the Greenway information pages will be updated asap. The PortBUG’s first meeting for 2015: 7pm, Thursday 5th February at Argo Cafe (upstairs), Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide. ALL WELCOME.